Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-04-20
A SWELL AFFAIR.
BRUTAL CONTESTS IN THE PAR.
LORS OF A Heightened CLUB.
Terrific Combat Between Two Ex-
pert Swordsmen-It Nearly
Results in a Tragedy.
ESPECIAL BY TELEGRAPH TO THE REooRD-US1oS.1

| ihNi'dtioiS ieCciNeu ny Tue members Oh
a swell club and few friends some days
ago:
Home Club, 81 West Twenty fourth street.
Grand passage-at-arms on Monday evening,
| April 18TH at P. NJ. The undersigned will be
| pleased to have the pleasure of your company.
THE COMMITTEE OF ARRANGEMENTS.
In accordance with these invitations a
company of little less than fifty persons
assembled last night in the main parlor of
the club. All the furniture of the spacious
apartment had been removed, leaving the
entire center of the parlor free. At few
minutes after o'clock two men, recog-
nized as foreigners, who are members
of the club stepped into the center of the
apartment, each with a fencing foil in his
hand. The one was clothed throughout in
white, the other dressed from head to foot
in black velvet
| At the word from the master of cere-
monies they saluted each other three times
with all the deferential courtesy of the days
when chivalry in France was at its best,
their weapons as they saluted cutting the
air with loud swish. At another word
from him who acted as master of the tour
ney they had crossed swords. The man in
white was named Van Schayk, and repre-
sented Germany. The man in black was
named Tronchet, and represented France.
The duel was for four points out of seven.
For several minutes they lunged, and
tented, and parted with wonderful grace
and skill, the room ringing with the &C.
CARNATIONS and plaudits of the spectators.
Then the champion of France attacked
Germany with fierce elat, forcing the latter
to yield, step by step, until with a rapid
pass the point of Frances weapon struck
full upon Germany's breast Zone point
for France)
The antagonists bowed, stepped apart.
| and again, at a word from the master of
ceremonies, stepped forward and crossed
swords. The result of this second bout was
that Germany scored point. The third
| and fourth bouts were won SUCCESSFULLY by
France, and with the score three to one. it
looked very much as if France were to
carry the day; but the fortune of war
veered with the fifth bout, and as France
made an onslaught, Germany's foil struck
clean home, just above the heart The
next round was short, and resulted in the
German holly thrusting his sword into the
Frenchmans neck.
Then came the final and decisive bout.
which was watched by the spectators with
pent-up enthusiasm. The champions at
| first fenced with great caution, the French
man finally attacking with that fierceness
which bad characterized his method
throughout. Suddenly a sharp cry went
up from several of the spectators, and the
master of ceremonies excitedly screamed
out the order to halt. There were, how
ever, three or four more sharp passes be-
| fnra Nr,ta o11 n
perceived by all that the button from the
point of Frances foil had become de-
| tached, and that therefore the Frenchman
had been fighting with the naked point.
| The German champion had literally been
| battling for his life. A new foil was pro-
cured, and the duel resumed. A few min
utes later Germany scored the fourth and
| final point, and the fiercely-contested fight
was at an end. France saluted the victor,
and both contestants withdrew.
NEXT CAME A LIVELY sLUGGING MATCH,
Marquis of Queensberry rules, between
| two well-matched boxers, the one yery tall
and thin and the other very short and
thickset. In the second round the tall man
knocked out his antagonist. Then there
was
A WRESTLING MATCH,
Catch-as- catch-ca between two foreign
wrestlers, known respectively as The
Rampant" OF Marseilles, and The Terror
of La Vendee,'' for the best two out of three
falls. The " Terror" had a peculiar way
of opening his mouth and twitching his
lips, and he crept around the '' Rampant"
in the effort to get favorable grip. He
seemed to be literally feeling" the
other with his lips in search of a
vulnerable point. Each won fall. In
the third struggle, however, by quick
motion the Terror " was suddenly thrown
over the "Rampart's broad shoulders,
and turning complete somerSault, landed
square on his back. As the man fell he
tore long section of skin from his shout
der. He retired from the room with blood
trickling down his back and staining the
face of the rich carpet where he fell.
A BRUTAL FIGHT, IN WHICH YOUNG BERN
HARDT WAS THE VICTOR.
The next event on the programme was
the grand final event of the night-the
contest between Maurice Bernhard and the
| Unknown. Five minutes intermission was
announced, and as the champagne corks
popped at lively rate the company dis
cussed the identity of young Bernhardt's
unknown antagonist. BY some he was
said to be young clerk in financial in
| stitution, whose position would be for
feited were his present adventure to be.
come known. BY others he YVES declared
| to be a bruiser of the French quarter.
whom Bernhard could scarcely publicly
| face
AT the expiration of the five minutes the
| company reassembled in the parlor, and
Maurice Bernhard stepped into the center
of the apartment. He was dressed in
suit of white linen, and looked handsome,
1.-THE and strongly built. His antagonist
| followed, a few seconds later, heavily
masked. He was good deal shorter than
Bernhardt, but very heavily built. Both
4 fighters wore stout canvas shoes heavily
soled. They used six-ounce gloves The
master Of ceremonies preceded the calling
of time with the following somewhat ON
nous remarks-in French:
Gentlemen: In the event of either of these COM
batants being hurt, you are requested not to
| crowd around him, as he will need air and the
| doctor viii need room to work. In the event of
| either receiving serious injury, il viii be mat
ter of honor with you not to divulge any partic-
| ulars of a compromising nature.
Time was then called. The two antag-
onists met and spared cautiously. The
unknown opened with two light blows on
Bernhardt's face, and Bernhard retaliated
with blow on the ear, following it up
with kick in the side. Then the fighters
went at it hammer and tongs.n
| They struck at and kicked each other all
| over Tue DCNy, luOlt hlCblllS DeluS UODe
than boxing. They stopped their guards
towards each others feet guarding more
against legs than against arms. They
kicked each others shins, stomachs and
sides, some of the kicks reaching as high
as the neck and head. Bernhardt was
wonderfully agile. his great length of limbs
standing him to advantage in kicking. His
antagonist was very clever, both in guard
ing and in feinting, and his blows from both
extremities We're very effective.
AT the expiration OF five minutes time
was called. and after three minutes rest
the fighters were at it again Bernhardt
was Knocked down three times in this
round, but succeeded in punching his an
tagonist severely with bis feet. In the
third round Bernhardt was knocked or
kicked down FIVE times, and his antagonist
twice. Bernbardt was also kicked severely
in the small of the back and on the side of
the head, and it looked as if he were about
to lose the match. Toward the close
of the round he received fearful
kick on the knee-cap, which made him
cry out in anger and in pain Like flash.
he gathered himself together, and, spring
| ing suddenly high in air, he landed with
| both feet full upon his antagonists abdo-
men. The latter dropped like a shot,
/ D. @,zI